diamrem
by The 2786 Project
Summary: the story was being changed, and through an offer, the poor creature was able to have one more shot at what she'd been longing for. 2786
1. The First Aria

diamrem

note: Long Live 2786. The 2786 Project has sworn to spread word of 2786. It needs some more love, no? This story has warned me to ready your handkerchiefs and replenish your tissue boxes, because even I the writer, am unable to foretell the ending.

description: the story was being changed, and through an offer, the poor creature was able to have one more shot at what she'd been longing for.

* * *

_Far, far from land, where the waters are as blue as the petals of the cornflower and as clear as glass, there, where no anchor can reach the bottom, live the mer-people. The mer-king had been a widower for many years; his mother kept house for him. She was a very intelligent woman but a little too proud of her rank: she wore twelve oysters on her tail; the nobility were only allowed six. Otherwise, she was a most praiseworthy woman, and she took excellent care of her grandchildren, the little princesses. They were six lovely mermaids; the youngest was the most beautiful. Her complexion was as fine as the petal of a rose and her eyes as blue as the deepest lake, but just like everyone else down there, she had no feet; her body ended in a fishtail._

* * *

The First Aria

"I know, right? It was just too funny. I couldn't help it! And you know-Ah. Haru, you're reading that book again?"

Haru's head popped out from behind the book and smiled an embarrassed smile. "I am. This book…It's really interesting, isn't it? I just really love it. "I can tell," her friend said with a lifted eyebrow and a hopeless smile. "You bring that book with you everywhere." Haru set down the book and stroked the cover, her fingers trailing over the painted waves. "I always feel bad for her...But even though the ending's supposed to be happy, it's not at the same time."

"Haru, did you know? Your expression always changes when you read that book. One minute you look like you're so blissfully happy, and the next you look as if some tiger mauled you. You look happy and upset at certain parts of the book, but whenever you finish that book, you start flipping through the pages really fast and this confused look appears on your face."

"Is that so…? I just feel like something's not right at the end of the story. It's interesting and it's kind of scary at the same time. Maybe that's why I like it so much." Haru's friend patted her on the head. "It's because you're a hopeless romantic. You want a happy ending where the mermaid ends up with the prince-I bet that's why you feel like the ending's not right."

"Tomoe, I'm not a hopeless romantic!" Haru protested with a childish pout. Tomoe laughed a long, hearty laugh. "Whatever you say, Haru. Alright, I have to head for track now. Do you want to come with?" Haru got out her money and tucked away the book into her bag. "Don't I always?" She remarked with a wink.

Once she'd seen Tomoe off, Haru headed to the river, a place she visited often. Haru smiled with satisfaction at her footprints in the sand and sang under her breath a song of the sea as she made her way to her special spot. It was right in the middle of the town, so she could hear the click-clacks of shoes hitting the pavement, fragments of conversations, the quiet squeal of cars in the distance and the sound of engines running.

Her city.

She first mouthed the two words and then spoke them aloud. They tasted strange on her tongue. _My city. _She continued to speak the words in various accents, different volumes, putting emphasis on different parts of the words each time with each footstep to her little spot.

"My city." The emphasis was put on city.

"My city." A slight accent was pressed onto my.

"My city!" The words were screeched out, like a cat whose tail had just been twisted.

"My city." Slurred, slow words that poured out like honey.

"My city?" A confused tone colored the words and ended up sounding like a question.

"My city?!" This time it was extremely confused, mixed in with a bit of shock and a sprinkle of unbelief.

Haru greeted her special spot with a little wave and then sat down. It was far away from the tunnel surrounding the river, away from the darkness shadowing the water. Her special spot was ten feet away from the left side of the tunnel and one foot away from the water. A few days after she'd first found the spot, she had flattened the dug-up soil and arranged red flowers in the shapes of the sun. It was deeply embedded so the flowers would never be able to escape and the river had never flooded so Haru never thought or worried about a chance of the flowers being washed away.

She pulled out her book again and this time her fingers traced out the words of the title. T..h..e..L..i..t..t..l..e..M..e..r..m..a…i..d.

The words of her friend echoed back to her. It was true, she liked the story. She loved it. She read it almost every day and could recite the words by heart. And it was true that at the ending, she'd flip through the pages earnestly as if she were trying to find an answer.

She supposed that it was a good ending. The mermaid was given the chance to reach heaven. Although she hadn't gotten the prince, she'd been given the chance to enter heaven after three hundred years. A whistle escaped Haru's lips. Three hundred years was long time. "But something's still not right after all," Haru murmured, a focused look on her face.

The book was thrown onto the top of the bag.

And then Haru clutched her head, shaking and moving this way and that. She had these tantrums quite frequently. "It doesn't make any sense!" She shouted, standing up from anger for the little mermaid. "Why can't she end up with the prince? Happy tales with princes and princesses are supposed to end up happy!"

The last word was stretched out, accompanied by balled-up fists, closed, scrunched-up eyes and foot stamping. Haru opened her eyes and her anger dissipated once she saw the sky.

The sun had set, and the clouds were the color of roses and the horizon was a line of gold. In the pale pink sky, Haru could make out the first star of evening as it sparkled, clearly and beautifully. The air was warm and the river was calm.

Haru undid her shoes and took off her socks. She dipped her bare feet into the river and giggled at the cool feel of the water. The river was praised for its cleanliness and unlike the rivers in other neighboring towns; this river was free from traces of pollution.

She kicked her feet at a gentle pace, singing a song she remembered from childhood. Once she finished her song, she put on her socks half-way and stepped into her shoes. "Time to go home," she sang with vigor. "Time to go home, go home, go home."

* * *

_The princesses liked nothing better than to listen to their old grandmother tell about the world above. She had to recount countless times all she knew about ships, towns, human beings, and the animals that lived up on land. The youngest of the mermaids thought it particularly wonderful that the flowers up there had fragrance, for that they did not have on the bottom of the sea._

_From one sister to the next, there was a difference in age of about a year, which meant that the youngest would have to wait more than five whole years before she would be allowed to swim up from the bottom of the sea and take a look at us. But each promised the others that she would return after her first day above, and tell about the things she had seen and describe what she thought was loveliest all. For the old grandmother could not satisfy their curiosity. None of the sisters longed so much to see the world above as the youngest, the one who had to wait the longest before she could leave home. _

* * *

"Dad? I'm back!"

Haru placed her shoes on the shoe rack and balled up the wet socks till they were small enough to fit into the pocket of her skirt. Haru's father popped his head out from the kitchen and looked at his daughter with a mildly reproving look.

"Haru! Gone to the river again? You should careful. You might slip and fall on your head or fall into the water and drown." Haru waved his words away with a tiny flourish of her hand. "Dad, you know that won't happen. I know how to swim, remember? But I do promise to be careful!" She added hastily when she spotted a warning look in his eyes. The look disappeared as quickly as it had come, replaced with a cheery air.

"Haru, dinner won't be ready for half an hour so change out of those clothes and do whatever you teenagers do to pass the time." Haru acknowledged his words with a salute and then stormed off to her room. She exchanged her dirt-stained clothes for her sweatpants and an over-sized T-shirt; a style she named as 'home clothes.'

In the dirty clothes went into the laundry basket. "Whoops, almost forgot about these." Haru mumbled absent-mindedly while tossing the crumpled up socks into the laundry basket. She burst into dance, twirling her arms and lifting her legs. She moved with grace, she jumped with utmost poise; radiant as spring. But such elegance could only go on for so long. Haru gasped when she collapsed on her bed, tired, but happy. "I haven't been able to dance for a really long time," she whispered to herself. "It was nice doing it again."

On the corner of her desk was a huge book of fairy tales. It was a habit for Haru to pick up the book and read her favorite ones. Cinderella…Rapunzel…Snow White…Beauty and the Beast…Sleeping Beauty…The Princess and the Pea…Hansel and Gretel…Rumpelstiltskin. She dived into thousands of other stories, immersing herself into the worlds they took place in. Just when she'd started to read the Little Mermaid, her father knocked on the door and pulled her out of the world of stories.

"Haru, it's time for dinner."

Haru patted the huge book and bookmarked the page she'd finished. "Bye-bye. I'll be back before you know it."

"Dad! I think this is your best one yet!" Haru exclaimed, eagerly sipping at the soup. And it was. Haru's father had been trying to create a splendid chicken soup and it seemed he had finally succeeded. The soup was not too salty and not too bland. It was just right. The flavors of the carrot and chicken engulfed the taste buds as one, wreathed with the taste of pepper. Haru's father ate the rice and soup separately, while Haru dumped the rice into the soup and ate them together.

"Dad, tomorrow could we have beef? Or steak?"

"Of course! Anything for my little Haru. You sure like meat, don't you?"

"I do. I like it very, very much."

"More than me?"

"Maybe."

"More than the boy you like?"

"_Dad!"_

Haru flushed crimson while her father laughed. "I don't even like anybody…" She mumbled. "I'm still too young to like a boy! So-So that topic is a taboo in this household from now on!" "Really?" Haru's father marveled at her words. "I'm surprised. I figured you'd have at least one teensy weensy crush. But I like the way you think, my girl! Keep away from boys till you get to college. They'll distract you too much and you've got your whole life ahead of you."

Haru smiled. Every now and then the subject of boys would come up and she'd always hear this speech. Not that she minded. She was kind of used to it, actually. But it was just so _embarrassing. _Haru fidgeted a bit, just thinking about it. It was hard to imagine herself liking a boy. It was hard to imagine herself chasing after a boy, showering him with attention and trying to win him over.

"GAH!"

She squirmed, shaking her head vigorously. Sure, she _read _about romance in the fairy tales, but she was so uncomfortable about the subject in real life. "You okay there, Haru?" Her father asked with a knowing look in his eye.

"I-" Haru coughed. "Yes, I'm fine."

"You sure there's not a single boy in Namimori that you've got your eyes on? You can trust your old man."

"_DAD!" _

"Sorry, sorry."

It was hard to imagine her father acting like this around the college students. In the university he worked at, he was solemn and stern. He didn't joke. He was a serious math teacher. But at home…he was a carefree father joking with his daughter. She sure was lucky, Haru thought. Because she was one of the few people who got to see this side of him. "You know, your grandmother called."

"Grandma did?! Why, did something happen back at the village?"An amused expression appeared on older Miura's face. "No, she called to say hi. Why, your grandmother can't call and just say hi?" Haru's face flushed. "That's not what I meant. I mean... Grandma rarely calls to just say hi. So I was just wondering...""Well, she called about your sisters too.""How are they? Are they alright? Are they eating well? Are they okay? Has that mean old lady-"

"Calm down, Haru. As much as I love you, it's hard to look at you if you're banging the spoon onto the table."

"Oh. Sorry."

Haru placed her spoon down and leaned forward. "So? What's been happening?""Your grandmother called to say the village is doing fine. She is the head so... She should know best. Your sisters are doing fine and they're still a little shaken about what happened, but overall your grandmother says they're doing better than before." An intense look came over Haru. "And... Has that lady been caught?"

"No. Not yet. But the police will find her soon enough." "If the police find that lady, then I get to have a go at her first. I'm never forgiving her." Haru's face was dark with anger. Her father patted her on the arm, trying to calm her. "We'll find her. Don't worry! For now, calm down and have some more soup. Do you want to call your grandmother later?"  
Haru smiled and shook her head. "Maybe tomorrow, but not today. I still have homework to do." Her father nodded in understanding and took Haru's bowl."Hey! Dad, I wasn't finished with that!"  
Moments later, he returned with another hot bowl of soup. "I mean... Ahem. Thanks, Dad."Haru returned to her room, happy and full. "Chicken soup today and steak tomorrow. Dad sure is the best when it comes to cooking."

But deep inside her heart, she knew that if she were to compare her grandmother's cooking and her father's cooking…Her grandmother would win. The elderly Miura had a talent for whipping up feasts for the village. Just thinking about her grandmother's foods made Haru's mouth salivate a little while she did her homework. Her elderly grandmother was a kind, intelligent woman. The only thing that marred the charming woman's character was her extreme pride in her position as Head of the village. And her sisters…

She missed her sisters. She missed her village.

Haru and her father had moved to Namimori one year ago, while her sisters and grandmother remained at the village. It seemed like only yesterday when she and her sisters had been swimming in the sea while their grandmother and father watched them. A pang of homesickness struck her heart and she squirmed. No, Namimori was her home now. No matter how different it was from the village, it was now her home. She had to accept this.

"Tomorrow will have lots of adventures for sure…" Haru murmured sleepily. "Adventures and steak."

* * *

author's note: I have to admit, I still can't get used to the new template on . But a change always has to happen, so I'm slowly getting used to it! How about you guys? I'm still stuck in summer school and I come home late from a writing program I'm attending to improve my writing. Inspiration for this story stuck when I was at the writing program, and all of a sudden an idea entered my mind... So after trying a couple ideas, I finally came up with this story. I'll try to work on the other stories as well but you guys pretty much know how I write and upload my chapters. There is still hope though! …Not likely. Ha. Well, I was recently searching around the web (for 2786 pictures, what else?)...Artists! I challenge you to draw a picture of 2786 and post it on the web to share. I'm actually thinking about doing it myself but I wouldn't want to blind poor, unsuspecting people around the world with a horrible drawing…Back to writing then!

I must confess. I really want to go to Japan and just ask Amano-sensei just who Tsuna's going to end up with. It's so frustrating for me as a 2786 supporter. She's just dropping all these hints about 27K and…Keep on persevering 2786 supporters! KEEP ON LOVING.

If you lovely readers see any grammar/spelling mistakes, please inform me so I can correct those mistakes! I'm very, very weak when it concerns grammar...And my eyes just seem to jump over any spelling errors. Sigh.

next chapter: The Second Aria

_...The whole school was in a bustle; every person she saw was whispering of a name she'd never heard of before. _


	2. The Second Aria

diamrem

note: I want to be known for writing. I want to be known for spreading 2786. That's all.

description: the story was being changed, and through an offer, the poor creature was able to have one more shot at what she'd been longing for.

* * *

_The first time that any of the sisters had been allowed to swim to the surface, each had been delighted with her freedom and all she had seen. But now that they were grownups and could swim anywhere they wished, they lost interest in wandering far away; after a month of two the world above lost its attraction. When they were away, they longed for their father's castle, declaring it the most beautiful place of all and the only spot where only really felt at home. Still, many evenings the five sisters would take each other's hands and rise up through the waters. They had voices far lovelier than any human being. When a storm began to rage and a ship was in danger of being wrecked, then the five sisters would swim in front of it and sing about how beautiful it was down at the bottom of the sea. _

_On such evenings, while her sisters swam, hand in hand, up through the water, the youngest princess had to stay below. She would look sadly up after them and feel like crying; but mermaids can't weep and that makes their suffering even deeper and greater. _

* * *

The Second Aria 

"He's coming back?"

"He's really coming back?"

"Surely not!"

"Do you think his mother would lie to me?"

"No, no of course not, I'm not trying to say that at all…So Tsuna-kun is coming back? Are you sure?"

"Of course I am! His mother told me with her own lips! She must be happy; I don't think I've ever seen her smile this big in a while."

Haru tilted her head, eyes alight with curiosity. She'd been walking on her way to school as she always had. The route leading from her house to the school required her to walk past a circle of benches where the old women of the town would gather to talk in the early mornings. Their conversations would usually be about the old days of Namimori. Sometimes, they'd bring up news of their children who did so and so; this and that. Once in a while, one of the women would proclaim to the others about her daughter or daughter-in law who'd given birth to a baby; and a flood of cheers would erupt.

But now…She'd never heard the elderly women talk with such curiosity or excitement before. The conversation and commotion drew in Haru the way a flower would attract a bee. Half of her was tempted to go up to the old women and ask them who they were conversing about, but the other half of her urged her to hurry along, lest she'd risk being late for school. Haru barely knew the women; she'd only talked to them a few times. Besides, asking the elderly women her question would be like snitching that she'd been eavesdropping on their conversation. So Haru turned the corner and walked on as she heard fragments of their words reaching her ears.

"Yes…He's always been such a good boy. Oh, do you remember that time-"

* * *

"Eh?! Really?! He's coming back?"

Haru sighed, looking away from the group of girls sitting in the front. She'd heard something like this a while ago…She set her bag aside on the ground and took out her textbooks, one by one until they were piled up high on her table. "Yeah, I heard from Nana-san, you know. Yeah, the lady at the supermarket! She was totally happy; I swear, it was like written all over her face."

"I thought Sawada left for good after that year. Didn't he go to place far, far away?"

"Who knows?" A girl with blonde-dyed hair drawled. Who was she again? Ah, yes, her name was Mayumi, Haru recalled. "But if he really is coming back, then I'm joining the team again." An exclamation of shouts filled the room. The whole classroom had heard Mayumi's words and while her friends interrogated her with shocked zeal, the other students began to murmur amongst themselves.

Haru was absolutely flabbergasted. What on _earth _was going on?

"What's happened, Haru?" Tomoe approached her, a curious look on her face. "I haven't seen anyone this excited since the Cultural Fest-"

"_Tomoe!" _Without warning, Haru lunged forward and grabbed Tomoe by the shoulders, sending the textbooks sprawling as a result. No one noticed though, because they were busy talking. "What the heck are you they talking about?!" Haru demanded. Tomoe struggled to get free from Haru's firm grip, alarm in her eyes. "I'm asking _you _what's going on-you got here before me, remember? Let go, _Haru let go-_it's way too early to be grabbing anyone by the shoulders!" Haru immediately let go, mumbling her apologies.

"Don't worry. Just don't do it again, okay?" Tomoe reassured Haru. "So, what exactly happened?" Haru summarized what she'd witnessed to Tomoe, whose eyes had widened with every word. _"No way," _Tomoe breathed. _"No way." _Haru pouted, a frustrated look forming on her face. "Tell me what the heck is happening! Who the heck is this Sawada? Everyone else in the classroom knows besides me!" Tomoe chuckled, patting Haru on the head who tried to wriggle away.

Sometimes, Haru was just like a little child. She was curious about practically anything and everything. "You know how I'm on the track team, right? Well, you know, Mayumi used to be on the track team too" Haru's eyes widened and immediately locked onto the back of Mayumi's blonde head. Mayumi was working away on a piece of gum as she ran her hands through her hair. Haru looked back at Tomoe with a skeptical look. _Mayumi _had been part of the track team?

"I know it doesn't seem like it now," Tomoe said slowly. "But she was. In fact, she was the best runner out of all of the girls. You know, every three years, there's a sports competition between all the schools in Namimori. Somehow, we ended up competing with Namimori's track team; they sure were a strange bunch. We'd always beaten Namimori before, so we weren't really concerned. But this one guy on Namimori's track team-what was his name again…? Sawada…Sawada…Che, I can't remember the rest. But his surname was Sawada. He ran the fastest; he was faster than Mayumi and beat her. But right after the competition, he had to go to someplace far away. Mayumi was so upset that she swore she'd never do track again. If she said that she'd do track again, then she must really want to beat that Sawada kid. "

Haru's mouth shaped into an o as she picked up her textbooks. It was hard to imagine Mayumi running; it was even harder imagining Mayumi as one of the members of the track team. Haru wanted to ask Tomoe more about the Sawada kid, as well as Mayumi, but the teacher had entered the room. "Homeroom is starting," he announced with a sharp rap of his pointer. The noise in the classroom immediately simmered down, but traces of chatter could be heard here and there.

"Hey, don't you think that Nakamura-sensei looks a bit…mhm…antsy?" Haru hissed to Tomoe under her breath. "He does look a bit antsy…He's the track team coach, remember? He must've heard what the girls were saying about Sawada's return." Haru nodded vigorously and remained quiet for the rest of her classes.

It seemed that this Sawada person was just as famous as the Tsuna-kun she'd heard about early in the morning.

* * *

"Ne, ne, Onii-chan's coming back!"

Haru stared at the brown-haired boy who'd shouted. Just how many people were returning to Namimori? Immediately, children stopped their games, and rushed over to the brown-haired child.

"Coming back? Coming back? Onii-chan is?"

"You're joking! Who told you this?"

"Ssh, let him talk!"

"Ahem!" The little boy cleared his throat and puffed his chest out in an act of pride. "Do you want me to tell you how I found out?" The children nodded their heads and cheered.

"Alright, I guess I will! I saw Lambo earlier and he told me that Onii-chan was coming back! Do you think _Lambo _would be able to lie to us so easily?" At this statement, the kids began to murmur.

"I know he wouldn't be able to lie to us so easily!" A girl shouted amongst the crowd of children. "He tried to lie to me before, but it was so obvious that there was no way I could've possibly fallen for it!" Other kids began to holler their testimonies too, until they were silenced by the brown-haired child. Haru watched with amusement from the bench she was sitting on. She'd seen adults do this too.

"We should get a cake ready!" One little buck-toothed child exclaimed. Others proclaimed their approval with stomps of their feet and quick one-two claps. "And balloons!"

"Streamers!"

"Presents!"

"Balloons!"

"Wait, but where are we going to get the money?"

"We'll make the streamers ourselves. I have a whole box of balloons at home, so don't worry 'bout that. We'll all work together on the cake and…I guess we could give Onii-chan a present since he's always given us candy. Let's do our best!"

Haru applauded with the children, impressed with the brown-haired boy's leadership skills and the children. Everyone one of them certainly seemed happy. This 'Onii-chan' seemed to be like a good person. She looked at the sky and stared dreamily at the clouds. There was one that looked like a cow, one that looked like a flame, one that looked like a girl and one that looked like a cake-_cake! _Haru immediately jumped up and walked out of the park as quickly as she could. It was her special once-a-month cake day and she'd forgotten!

Mumbling incoherent curses, she ran as fast as she could to downtown Namimori.

* * *

_The princesses liked nothing better than to listen to their old grandmother tell about the world above. She had to recount countless times all she knew about ships, towns, human beings, and the animals that lived up on land. The youngest of the mermaids thought it particularly wonderful that the flowers up there had fragrance, for that they did not have on the bottom of the sea. _

_From one sister to the next, there was a difference in age of about a year, which meant that the youngest would have to wait more than five whole years before she would be allowed to swim up from the bottom of the sea and take a look at us. But each promised the others that she would return after her first day above, and tell about the things she had seen and describe what she thought was loveliest all. For the old grandmother could not satisfy their curiosity. None of the sisters longed so much to see the world above as the youngest, the one who had to wait the longest before she could leave home. _

* * *

"Tsunayoshi-kun is returning? The lad that always helped me with my groceries?"

"That's right! I heard from Mikoto-san. She and the other ladies were talking about him this morning. In fact, I've been hearing his name pop up quite a few times today. He's the talk of the town!"

Haru sighed. She'd finally pieced together that the Sawada kid, Onii-chan and Tsuna-kun were all the same person. So it was Sawada Tsunayoshi who was returning to Namimori…She walked past the old men and their conversations; as curious as she was about this Sawada Tsunayoshi, she had _quite _enough of him. She'd heard enough about him for one day. For now…Getting her cakes was essential at the moment.

"Kyoko! How have you been doing?"

"Atsushi-san! I've been doing fine, thank you. I'd like to have the usual, please!"

Haru looked at the aisles of cakes with a ravenous look. Oh they all just looked so scrumptious…If only she could have them all! She turned her head and eyed the bakery owner and the girl named Kyoko at the counter. She'd seen Kyoko a couple of times before at the bakery. Kyoko was a very pretty girl, Haru noted.

She then diverted her attention back to the cakes and slowly picked her choices. Haru was only to choose five cakes; that was a golden rule of hers that she'd broken only a few times. Last time she'd eaten fifteen cakes and paid for the price…No, she had to choose wisely…

"Kyoko, I hear that Tsuna-kun is returning. Is that true?"

"It is! I got an email from him yesterday actually. He's coming back very soon. Once he finishes up the things he has to take care of, he'll be boarding a plane back to Namimori."

"You sure do look happy, Kyoko. Not that I can blame you. You've known him since forever, haven't you? All right then. In celebration of the news about Tsuna-kun's arrival, you don't have to pay for your cake. Just take it as a celebratory gift."

"EH?! I can't do that, Atsushi-san. It wouldn't be fair." Haru giggled at this. She'd heard thousands of conversations like these before. She already knew what the ending result was going to be. Haru wondered why people tried to protest in these situations when really, the result was clear.

"Don't be silly! Just this once. Alright?"

"A-Alright…"

Haru giggled and shook her head in a rather amused manner. After a long, antagonizing battle with her mind, she finally decided on five cakes. She lifted her head and called out to Atsushi-san, who was giving Kyoko her free cake.

"Excuse me? I'd like to buy these cakes, please!"

As the bakery owner came over to assist Haru, Haru looked over at Kyoko and the two girls locked eyes and exchanged polite smiles.

* * *

"Dad! This steak is to die for! What did you use?" Haru shoveled up another chunk of meat and closed her eyes at the taste of it. She'd never tasted such a juicy steak before…It was so tender that she could practically taste the steak sauce and the meat as one. The older Miura chuckled bashfully, a hand going up to his head.

"Well a cook can't tell his secrets, can he? I'm afraid you'll have to find out on your own one day. But I'm glad you like it." Haru pouted for a moment and then grinned. "I'm extremely happy. I got to eat cake and steak today! But you know, I didn't enjoy today very much." A concerned look came over her father's face. "Why? Were some girls at school being mean to you again?"

"No one's ever been mean to me, Dad! How many times do we have to establish this?"

"Don't you remember the first month of school? You said that-"

"_No, Dad! I didn't!" _

"All right, all right, keep your pants on."

"_DAD. I don't intend on taking them off, thank you very much!"_

"Really? I'm glad. I'd be a bit worried if you actually did. But that's not the main point. Why didn't you enjoy today?"

"Well Dad," Haru said, clearing her throat. "Today everybody in Namimori kept on talking about this guy named Sawada Tsunayoshi. _Everybody. _The kids at school, the old men and women, even the little kids!" Haru's father chuckled. "Well, kiddo, you're not the only one who was confused today. Tsunayoshi-san moved away two years ago and we moved in one year ago. That's why you and I didn't know who he was. But he's a very kind person, it seems. Apparently, he's done a lot for this place."

A thoughtful look came over Haru. "I'd like to see what kind of person he is…"

"_Oh! Could this be? _You're not saying that you're _interested _in this boy, are you? You've never even met him before! Oh my, my, Haru…So you're the type of girl who falls for the mysterious-"

"_DAD!" _

* * *

A week had passed. And yet, the famous Sawada Tsunayoshi still hadn't arrived at Namimori. People began to wonder if the rumor about Sawada Tsunayoshi's return really had been nothing but a rumor. Haru sighed as she yawned. And she'd been looking forward to meeting that person. She blushed, recalling her father's words.

Not that she was interested in Sawada-san in any romantic way! She was just curious about him. What kind of person must he have been, to have the whole of Namimori take a liking to him? That was all…

"Oh, my. Tsuna-kun, how you've grown! Come, let me take a good look at you."

Haru whipped around and her eyes widened. Amongst the old women was a male with an unusual amount of spiky hair. She couldn't believe it. Was that-?

Could it be?

Haru stared at the back view of the figure. She saw slightly broad shoulders through the black jacket he wore. The straight back made her feel just a tad bit intimidated by the power that just radiated from it. This person seemed nimble and lean in his shiny black suit. Was this the famous Sawada Tsunayoshi the town had been talking about?

"It's been a long time, Mikoto-san. I'm glad to see you doing well. Nothing seems to have changed much."

The male's voice, Haru noted, held power and radiated responsibility. It was the voice of a confident person who knew what he was doing. If it hadn't been for the slight touch of femininity it carried, she would've been truly intimidated by this person.

"Tsuna-kun, I'm glad to see _you_. Everybody's missed you so much. Do you know how much people have talked about you? We thought you weren't going to come at all." Haru's mouth opened and then closed.

It really was Sawada Tsunayoshi!

* * *

author's note: I'm absolutely flabbergasted. There's this new function called a Traffic Graph, and I've finally received true, concrete evidence that people have actually been reading my stories. So I'm hoping that people are enjoying all the works I post on fanfiction. Forever 2786. Tell me what you think of the story so far ;) Oh, I really can't wait to write out the next chapter.

Readers and writers, I challenge you to write a 2786 fanfiction! It can be a drabble or a one-shot; it can be anything! Since summer school is ending for me soon, I plan to read and review the entire 2786 section on fanfiction.

There's not much action here so it's a little boring (I found it a bit of a yawn and I apologize if it bored you.) But there will be action later on…Much, much more.

Many thanks to the readers: EternityMusic4Me, Syn'ri, Dream-Eating Monochrome, shadowsaver for the very warm reviews.

Also, thank you to the readers who favorited/follow this story: chained2love, Hevimankeli, thegoodfolk, Spirit kagome, FloraFaveXNara-Wire

Next chapter: The Third Aria

…_She was finally returning to her village. A thrill of fear and exhilaration ran through her body. She had to prepare herself. _


	3. The Third Aria

diamrem

note: A revelation. What do I write for?

description: the story was being changed, and through an offer, the poor creature was able to have one more shot at what she'd been longing for. 2786.

* * *

"_Oh, if only I were fifteen," she would sigh. "I know that I shall love the world above, and the human beings who live up there!" At last she, too, was fifteen! _

"_Now you are off our hands," said the dowager queen. "Let me dress you, just as I dressed your sisters." She put a wreath of white lilies around her hair; each of the petals of every flower was half a pearl. She let eight oysters clip themselves onto the little mermaid's tail, so that everyone could see she was a princess. "It hurts," said the little mermaid. _

"_One has to suffer for position," said her old grandmother._

…_._

_The little mermaid swam close to a porthole and the swells lifted her gently so that she could look in through it. The great cabin was filled with gaily dressed people; the handsomest among them was a young prince with large, dark eyes. It grew late, but the little mermaid could not turn her eyes away from the ship and the handsome prince. _

* * *

The Third Aria 

"Haru! Haru where are you? Blasted boxes…"

"Dad?! Dad! Da-Why are you carrying so many boxes?! I told you not to-_watch out! _How many times have I told you to not show off-_Dad, you're walking towards the wall-_**This way! **No, _no, _Dad, that's the wall! A little…That's right, follow my voice! Nice job, Dad!"

Haru's father laughed as he set the boxes down, stretching his back after he did so. "Thanks, Haru. Haven't I always told you that I have a wonderful sense of-" He dodged a pink sock and shot Haru a credulous stare. "Dad, you could've gotten hurt! Geez, you shouldn't try to show off how strong you are! Look at this! One, two…_Six _boxes?" Haru glared.

"Well, I couldn't resist! You can't blame an old man for trying to remember his youthful days, can you? Where'd your sock go? Oh, there it is." He stooped down and handed Haru the sock. She took it and placed it back on her foot. "So? What did you need?"

"Ah! That's right, I almost forgot. Haru, do you remember what special day it's going to be in two days?" Haru blinked and tilted her head. "What special day?" She asked. The older Miura's jaw dropped. "Y-You mean…You don't remember?!" Haru shrugged and shook her head. "No, I don't. Why? Am I supposed to? Is it someone's anniversary?"

Haru watched her father's face expression go from astonishment to shock. "Haru! I'm ashamed! It's going to be your birthday in three days! And yet you say…'Is it someone's anniversary? Am I supposed to remember'?"

Haru's jaw dropped and a sound of realization escaped from her mouth. "Oh. So that was all. Dad, could you hand me that box over there?" _"Haru!" _Haru jumped. "Dad you scared me! Honestly, it's really-" "We're going back to the village tomorrow. I haven't mentioned it all because I thought you would remember your own **birthday**, but have you forgotten? The village customs? When a young maiden turns fifteen, it's considered one of the most important days of her life! It signifies independence!" Haru dropped her head in apology.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I've just been thinking so much about moving everything around that I haven't really given much thought to my birthday. Would you like me to get ready now?"

The exasperated look disappeared and a tired smile replaced it. "Yes, I would. Go on. Get your things ready." Haru planted an apologetic kiss on her father's cheek before running out the attic and down the stairs to her room.

_I really did forget though._

School had become adamant about giving more tests and homework, and everything had been so chaotic for Haru that she hadn't had any time to think about her birthday. Her eyes lit up. She was going to go back to the village! Her hometown! She missed her grandmother, her friends, her sisters; the beautiful view of the ocean…No other ocean could compare to the one near her village. Haru rummaged through her drawer, picking up certain articles of clothing that appealed to her and tossed them onto her bed.

"Haru-_Haru! _Er…Why are you taking so many clothes with you?"

Haru blinked and then redirected her gaze to the clothes piled on her bed. Ah…She had packed a bit too much. "We're going to the village, not a hotel for a three-week vacation, honey." And with that comment, Haru's father disappeared. Haru sighed. She'd have to put all those clothes back…

What a pain.

* * *

"Dad, I'm kind of nervous about going back to the village. With the things that happened last year…I'm not sure how to face them." Haru stared at the fabric of her white dress. She wasn't nervous. She was _terrified. _She swallowed and looked up at her father's face. "Haru, don't worry about it. They love you. They're your sisters. Besides, nothing's going to go wrong. I'm sure of it."

Haru swallowed and took a deep breath.

"Everyone! Haru…I mean…I'm back!"

Immediately, the tall fence swung open and crowds of people came pouring out. Haru found herself swept in an ocean of friends and neighbors she'd known since childhood. She giggled with the little ones, gave hugs and friendly exchanges with the older ones and bowed respectfully to the elderly. Suddenly, the crowd grew quiet and the people paved a path.

An elderly woman with soft white hair and a proud, straight back approached Haru. The old woman walked with a sort of grace and poise that was usually not found in those as old as she. Haru's head immediately lowered and the crowd also respectfully lowered their heads. "Granddaughter. Look at me." Haru's head tilted upwards and she let out a soft 'Hahi' when her face was suddenly grabbed by the chin.

"You're still the same. You haven't changed since you haven't left the village. I was expecting otherwise. We've missed you very much. Welcome home, Haru." Haru threw herself at her grandmother and hugged the old woman. "I missed you and the village so much, Grandmother. It's only been a year but it feels like it's been much longer." The crowd cheered and shouted their happiness to the blue, blue sky.

"Come with me, Haru."

Haru blinked in surprise at her grandmother's words and immediately obeyed. "Grandmother, aren't you going to greet Father?" Haru's grandmother shook her head as she walked. "I will speak to my son later. He's reacquainting himself with his friends. It would be rude to interrupt. Now come with me, granddaughter." Haru nodded, even though her grandmother wouldn't be able to see the action. A tiny thought wandered in the back of her mind.

Where were her sisters?

Didn't they want to see her?

But after what happened last year? Haru cringed. There was no way. "Grandmother? Where are we going?"

"To the ocean."

"The ocean?!"

"Your sisters are there. They're waiting for you." Haru bit her lip. Part of her was urging her to run away while the other part of her was ordering her to stay and follow. As she struggled with her decision, her grandmother came to a sudden halt. Surprised, Haru blinked. With one smooth motion, the elderly woman gestured to the glimmering green-blue water. Shrieks and laughs reached her ears and Haru went absolutely still. She'd know those laughs anywhere. Her sisters…

There they were.

She could see Utau, the eldest out of all the Miura sisters. Haru could see that her sister still looked like the perfect example of a city girl. Utau's golden hair was flowing against the water and her skin was still just as porcelain perfect as ever. Next to Utau was the second oldest, Hotaru. She was the most artistic out of all the sisters and-Haru blinked. Was that a splatter of paint in Hotaru's hair? There was a wild whoop and a deafening crash as a figure jumped off a rock jutting in the middle of the water. Haru shook her head, a large smile on her face.

That was definitely Kashiya, the third eldest sister out of all the sisters. Kashiya had always been the most daring among them. Haru remembered that Kashiya had spent most of her time in the green hills, listening to the birds singing as she swam in a river not too far off. Haru sighed when she saw the fourth-eldest sister Shizuka who was trembling from the impact. Shizuka had always been the quiet one; a total contrast to Kashiya. But the only time Shizuka really ever seemed calm was when she was around animals; especially animals of the sea. Haru watched as the fifth-oldest sister Yuki turned to Shizuka with a cool look and spoke a few words.

If Yuki were to go to Namimori, she would've immediately been dubbed 'cool.' She was quiet, but not in the timid way Shizuka was. She radiated power and a smile was rare to come by. Haru remembered when a part of the ocean had frozen into tiny icebergs during a terrible thunderstorm. Oh, she could still remember the calm, powerful look her sister had radiated!

And now, she, Miura Haru, was back. And the six sisters were complete once again.

"Come, Haru. No dilly-dallying. Follow me. You've been staring off into space too long." Haru swallowed and followed, wishing she had her favorite book with her. Somehow, she knew that it would've calmed her down.

"Granddaughters! Come out of the water-yes, Kashiya, _now. _Your sister is here. We must prepare for her ceremony at once-Come."

The five sisters swam back to shore and approached Haru and their Grandmother. Their wet feet left imprints into the sand. Kashiya let out a whoop and enveloped Haru in a hug. "So you're back, Haru? It's good to see you again. No one else is willing to go into the hills with me. You'll come with me, won't you? That's a good girl. I've missed you!" Haru blinked back tears and returned the hug. "I-I've missed you too, Nee-chan."

She felt the pat of Yuki's hand, the quiet whisper escaping from Shizuka, the smell of fresh paint radiating from Hotaru and the melodious ring of Utau's voice. Haru was _home. _Her sisters didn't have any resentment over the events of last year-at least, they weren't showing it- and it seemed like everything was normal.

Haru gulped. She just had to worry about the ceremony now. She would have to brace herself.

Hours later, Haru's legs were stinging from dancing and the oyster-clamping. The ceremony had gone off without a hitch and without trouble. Her village had a ceremony for the fifteen-year old maidens. The girl would enter the ocean and have a wreath of lilies and red flowers placed onto her head. Sometimes, oysters would clamp onto the maiden's legs; this had happened for Haru and her other five sisters and the occasional girl. Then, she'd head to shore and gather up a ball of wet sand. The maiden would speak a wish into the ball and go to the ocean's shallowest waters where the sea foam met the sand. The ball would collapse back into sand and return to the ocean. It had long been believed that the ocean would take in the wish and grant it.

Once this had been done, the dancing would begin for a long, long time. All the villagers would dance to the music and then a marvelous feast would be brought out. But the maiden was not to partake in any food from the beginning of the ceremony to the end, which would be ten in the evening. The ceremony was a total of five hours. Haru stared at the watch on her sleeping father's wrist. It was now ten minutes after ten. She could eat.

Haru walked outside till she reached the table where the villagers had eaten. She saw the left-over food her sisters had promised to save for her and felt a well of happiness gratitude surge inside her chest. Haru murmured her thanks before eating. Oh, how wonderful it was! The bread melted on her tongue and filled her mouth with a dozen spices. The meat was spicy and yet not so; it was so soft to bite into and so, so rich. She picked up another bread roll and picked up a knife to scrape the butter onto it.

The air felt delightfully cool and the steady crash of the wave were just so nice to listen to as she ate…Had Haru not been so focused on the food she was eating, she would've noticed that the sky was darkening with storm clouds and the waves were crashing with greater force each time they landed on the sand. "Haru."

Haru turned and smiled at the sight of Yuki. "Onee-chan. I was eating-but you can see that." Yuki walked to Haru and placed a bowl full of fruits and a plateful of rolls and butter on the table. Haru's smile widened. "Thank you, Onee-chan! It's so delicious to eat." Yuki nodded and walked away.

"Onee-chan, don't you want any?"

"No."

"Hahi… Okay."

"You still haven't stopped saying that word."

"Ah? Oh-I-I kind of did but now that I've come back…It just seems so natural to say. Why, does it still bother you?"

"…Come inside quick. There's a storm brewing."

"Onee-chan…Thank you."

"… It was nothing."

"No-thank you. For everything."

"Stop thinking about pointless things. It happened and don't worry. Just fatten yourself. That's your main concern now."

Haru giggled. She had missed Yuki. She had missed all of her sisters and her grandmother. She just hadn't realized how much she'd missed her family till she arrived at the village. Suddenly, there was a round of loud, hysterical cackles. The roll slipped from Haru's hand and hit the ground. The knife in Haru's hand shook and her head snapped in the direction of the beach. She ran towards the fence, abandoning the unfinished food that lay on the table.

Peering over it, she could make out the faintest outline of a hunched figure…Haru swore under her breath and glanced back at the homes the villagers resided in. There was not a single window that showed any hint of light. Should she…? Haru shook her head. No. No.

She was going to deal with this on her own. Somehow, the knife was still in her hand. Good. She'd need it. Just in case…

Haru took off with quiet footsteps and focused eyes. Cackles rang in her ears as she tried to make out the figure. She couldn't see very well. She held the knife at ready and willed all senses to help her. Just ten more feet…eight more feet…four more feet…three more feet…two…one…and she was at the beach. The laughing continued, starting far off from the right. She almost yelped in shock when she came crashing down onto the sand. Not too far from her were a cluster of huge rocks she'd climbed as a child. After kicking off her slippers there, (they'd only be a nuisance on the beach,) she took off.

The laughing came to an end and there was no sign of a person anymore. Haru strained her ears for the sound of the mad, broken laughter and focused her eyes on everything. Nothing. Had it been nothing but her imagination? Haru's shoulders refused to relax as her vision moved from the right to the left.

"_Help!"_

Haru turned to the ocean and ran to it till the water was hitting her ankles. She squinted. There-There was a _person _in the water! She could see the person flailing around. And far, far away in the deep water, was a tiny speck of light making its way across the water. A ship. That's what the speck was.

The ship didn't matter.

There was a person drowning!

There was the sound of crashing thunder and then in came the pouring rain, drenching Haru and everything around her. Never mind her wet clothes, they weren't important

Haru ran back to shore towards the rocks and reluctantly dropped the knife there. She felt unsafe without it somehow. Then Haru took off towards the water-there was a _person _drowning darn it! Since she was a child, Haru had always felt safe around the water. At moments where it seemed like she was going to drown, the water had immediately receded. The ocean had always helped her, somehow. She hoped it would help her this time.

The person looked so far away…

As soon as she was three feet into the water, Haru met resistance. The waves wrapped around her as if they were planning to drag her back to shore. She coughed, spluttering incomprehensible words. The taste of sea water filled her mouth and she immediately spit it out. She plowed forward, ignoring the waves that pushed her back. This had never happened to her before!

Suddenly, a huge wave broke out and dragged Haru with it to the waters below. She felt rocks scratching at her and immediately struggled free to the surface. "Why are you being like this?!" She screamed. She knew the ocean wouldn't understand her. She knew the ocean had no feelings. But somehow, it just felt as if the ocean was totally against her at the moment. But she just wanted to vent out her feelings.

The sea foam draped around her shoulders; around her hair and neck. Haru spat out the salty taste that refused to leave her mouth and inhaled the salty air before diving in. She had learned how to open her eyes underwater at the age of seven, an ability that had assisted her most of the time. Her arms pushed through her water as her legs kicked at a fast tempo. One-two, one-two.

She paused in her swimming and poked her head out of the water, only to see towering waves above her head. Haru swallowed and dived into the bottom of the wave, pushing her way through. The next time her head popped up above the water, she spotted the flailing person. The stranger was doing his/her best to keep himself/herself from drowning, but Haru could tell he/she wouldn't be able to last much longer.

With a sense of urgency, Haru's body propelled faster through the water till she was only five feet away from the stranger. She recalled a time when Shizuka had nearly drowned. Haru remembered how she'd grabbed her sister and swam her way till the both of them reached the shore. She could do the same thing. She'd take the person and kick her way to shore.

The waves were chaotic and the sea was turbulent, as if it were angry.

Finally! The stranger released a choked gasp and began to sink through the water. Haru dived in once again and kicked her legs till she had the person in her arms. "Come on," she spluttered as she assisted the stranger. "I'm going to help-pwah! Help you." And help, she did. Haru was sure that the person was male-but that didn't matter!

She secured the person's head into her arms so that his head would be above the water. The water receded a bit, making it easier for Haru to guide herself and the boy to the shore. And then came one wave, then another. Haru fought and pushed and kicked her way through the waves, spitting out water whenever she had a chance.

It seemed like hours had passed until she was finally in shallow water. Then, a wave burst out and crashed over Haru and the male. Haru made sure that she didn't release the male even as they spiraled in chaotic circles. She felt another scratch, but gave it no mind. With all the strength she could muster, she got up and placed the boy's weight on her. A few more steps…and she collapsed. Haru looked behind her and saw a huge, huge wave heading for sure. She could see and smell the sea foam that was ready to delve around her.

That wouldn't happen. Not again.

Haru ran, dragging the male with her until they were finally a good distance away from the water. And then she let go of the boy and fell. She had no strength. Her battle against the water had sucked out all her energy. There was no way she could possibly have any strength to make it to the village…

She was falling to fatigue but she had to be awake…She had to be alert…

Just before she gave in, all she could think of were a jumble of thoughts. She was still alive. And she had saved the stranger. Was he even-Ah, yes. He was alive. She could hear soft breathing coming from the person next to her.

Her hand reached out and landed on soft, soft hair. It felt kind of spiky. Her eyes closed and her mind became blank as it gave into the clutches of sleep.

* * *

…_A storm was brewing_

_For a moment it grew so dark that she could see nothing, then a bolt of lightning illuminated the sinking ship. She looked for the young prince among the terrified men on board who were trying to save themselves, but not until that very moment, when the ship finally sank, did she see him. At first, she thought joyfully, "Now he will come down to me!" But then she remembered that man could not live in the sea and the young prince would be dead when he came to her father's castle. "He must not die," she thought, and dived in among the wreckage, forgetting the danger that she herself was in, for any one of the great beams that were floating in the turbulent sea could have crushed her. She found him! He was too tired to swim any father; he had no more strength in his arms and legs to fight the storm-whipped waves. He closed his eyes, waiting for death, and he would have drowned, had the little mermaid not saved him. She held his head above water and let the waves carry them where they would. _

* * *

"Yuki, where's Haru?"

Yuki shrugged. "I told her to be back soon." Kashiya frowned. "You know that there's a big storm tonight. And with what happened last year…"

"Don't speak about it." Utau ordered, cutting her off. Shizuka bit her lip as she exchanged a look with Hotaru. "We shouldn't talk about it. We all promised each other. And did you see how scared Haru looked when she saw us? That poor child probably thought we resented her…"

"Because that's the way Haru is." Yuki finished.

"Shouldn't we go get her? I mean-it's been ten minutes since you went out, Yuki." Hotaru placed a hand on Utau's shoulder. "She'll be fine! Haru's a big girl. Besides, she's probably taking her time eating."

Kashiya made a sound of disagreement. "Hotaru. We all know this. The village isn't as safe as it used to be. Especially after what's happened…" Yuki pulled on a sweater and got up from her bed. "Are you going to get Haru? I'll come with you."

Kashiya bounded forward and the two sisters left the room. Shizuka's head rested on Utau's lap and the quiet girl closed her eyes. Utau and Hotaru spoke in low voices so they wouldn't wake up their father and grandmother. It hadn't been this stormy in ages. A crack of thunder and then the quiet pitter-patter of rain filled the quiet room.

* * *

author's note: Tell me, readers and writers: what do you write for? Do you write for the reviews that give you a sense of accomplishment and warmth? Do you write for yourself when you post up stories on fanfiction? I'd like to share something. When I was younger, eighty-five percent of me cared about the reviews, and the rest cared about the story. But now that I'm older, I think that I've stopped thinking so much about reviews (although I still like them as much as any other person on fanfiction.) I think more about the story. I think I write for you, the readers, and myself, because I love writing with a passion. But first and foremost, I write to spread 2786. What about you? By the way, I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter for some reason…It just seemed so awfully boring. Sorry for the long wait, the internet was down and I had no chance of updating!

Thanks to the awesome reviewers: Sinful. Emerald, iwha, Tharrow,

Also, thank you to the readers who favorited/followed this story: chained2love, Hevimankeli, thegoodfolk, Spirit kagome, FloraFaveXNara-Wire

Next chapter: The Fifth Aria

…_For some reason, she felt an urge to hide from the approaching crowd. She didn't know why. She just felt like something was telling her to. _


End file.
